Crane with cable carrier apparatus



14, 1967 M. J. DECHANTSREITER 3,352,432

CRANE WITH CABLE CARRIER APPARATUS Filed Aug. 30, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l 5 Z/ T'L All g C 45 Z \8 /4 Y 0 0 A5 a 5 IIIIII II!!! TTOrzNEY Nov. 14, 1967 M. J. DECHANTSREITER 3,352,432

CRANE WITH CABLE CARRIER APPARATUS Filed Aug. 30, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 39 mus NT'O R;

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United States Patent 3,352,432 CRANE WITH CABLE CARRIER APPARATUS Max J. Dechantsreiter, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Harnisch'reger Corporation, West Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Aug. 36, 1966, Ser. No. 576,098 Claims. (Cl. 212-21) This invention relates to a crane or the like having a rotating part, such as a turret or turntable and stacker mast, and having a flexible link carrier for supporting and transferring the hoses and control cables between the rotatable and non-rotatable parts of the crane.

In devices of this character, it is necessary to transfer electrical power from the non-rotatable part to the rotatable part. For example, in stacker cranes where the invention finds particular utility, the operators cab may be mounted on or adjacent the vertical mast which rotates with the turntable, and it is necessary to connect the electrical controllers in this cab with the control apparatus that is located on the stationary member of the crane. Usually, numerous control circuits are required in a crane of this type. Additionally, power must be transmitted from the junction box on the stationary member to the junction box on the turntable and from there to the hoist motor or other equipment located on the turntable. Very often stacker cranes of this character require rotation of 380 degrees, and as well as being economically unfeasible to provide such a large number of power and control circuits by means of conventional slip rings and collectors, limitations prevent their use.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a stacker crane having an improved, flexible, link carrier for the cables of the control system.

More specifically it is an object of the invention to provide an improved stacker crane having a flexible link chain for carrying and guiding the electrical cables, which carrier is arranged to stand vertically and to be arched in either direction as it transfers from the rotating to the nonrotatable part of the crane; provision is also made for insuring that the carrier will properly follow its arcuate path, be properly transmitted from one of the parts to the other where its link members Will be arched in an opposite direction. With this improved arrangement, it is impossible for the cable strands to become interlocked and the system damaged as the turntable rotates relative to the stationary member. Therefore, a more specific object of the invention is to provide a chain link carrier of the above type, which is capable of flexing in either direction, and which is mounted on shoes for movement along a guide track of arcuate configuration. The arrangement is such the shoes will not inadvertently leave their guide track or otherwise buckle in an improper direction.

Generally with the present invention, an improved stacker crane power system is provided which leaves the central portion of the stacker crane mast completely free and thereby permits the use of the hoisting equipment in this area of the crane, and as a result the hoisting mechanism can be located in the most favorable position on the crane.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear as this disclosure progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

3,352,432 Patented Nov. 14, 1967 FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a stacker crane embodying the present invention, certain parts being shown as broken away or in section for clarity in the drawings;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary view, of a portion of the crane as shown in FIGURE 1, certain parts being broken away for clarity.

FIGURE 3 is a further enlarged, fragmentary, detail view of a portion of the device shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the crane shown in FIG- URE 1, certain parts being broken away, or removed, for clarity in the drawings; and

FIGURE 5 is a plan view showing only a portion of the carrier of FIGURE 4, but on an enlarged scale, parts being shown in section.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings, the invention has been shown as applied to a stacker crane which is mounted on a pair of overhead rails 1 and 2. These rails may be suitably mounted in any conventional manner, as for example, as part of other overhead bridge structure (not shown) or as part of a building structure (not shown).

The trolley T has a series of wheels 3 which ride along and are guided by the rails 1 and 2, the wheels being suitably journaled in two parallel frame members 4 and 5. A large rectangular steel plate 6 is welded across the uppersides of members 4 and 5 so as to form a rigid trolley frame. The trolley is driven along the rails in either direction by an electric motor 9 through the drive box 9A and the drive shaft 9B on which some of the wheels 3 are fixed. A brake 9C is also provided for the motor.

A turntable 10 is carried on the trolley for rotation about a central, vertically disposed axis, and this turntable carries a downwardly depending mast assembly MA which rotates together with the turntable as a unit about the vertical axis.

The turntable includes a large, horizontally disposed circular steel plate 11 which is rotatably supported by a large, anti-friction bearing ring assembly 12 that is located on top of the plate 6. Assembly 12 includes an inner race 13 secured to the underside of the turntable, an outer race 14 secured on the upper side of the plate 6, and a series of balls 15 located between the races in the conventional manner to thus carry the vertical and horizontal thrust components.

Located on top of the turntable is the conventional electric motor 16 connected by the drive reduction unit 17 to the cable drum 18, and a brake 19 is located between the motor and drum. Other forms of electrical power equipment or hoisting devices may be provided on the turntable as the need requires, but it is believed sufficient to say for the purposes of this invention that this hoisting equipment may include cables 21 and sheaves 22 which raise and lower the telecsoping mast assembly, all as taught in my Patent No. 3,250,399 which issued on May 10, 1966.

An operators cab 0C is provided alongside the mast assembly and is rigidly fixed to the trolley by a separate mast 24. This operators cab contains the controllers (not shown) for operating the electrical control apparatus located on the stationary member of the crane. For this purpose it is necessary to provide a series of electrical cables 23 or hoses 23A which conduct electrical power from the stationary (that is non-rotatable) trolley portion of the U crane to the rotating turntable portion, and the improved system for accomplishing this will now be described.

An arcuate guide track means 25 is secured around the turntable plate 11 by means of a series of brackets 26 and includes a flat, horizontal track 27, a vertical wall 28, and a raised retaining or guide ledge 29 along the track 27. It will be noted this ledge 29 (FIG. 3) has a bevel or crown 3t? and 31 along each of its upper edges. The track 27 extends circumferentially for about 260 degrees.

Another track 35 is rigidly secured by member 36 to the plate 6 of the trolley and has a'flat track 37, and a vertical, outer guide wall 33 is provided co-extensively along the track 36. Another guide or retaining ledge 39 extends along the track 36 and is spaced the distance from the wall 38. This ledge also has a double crown or beveled corners along its upper edges. It will be noted that track 35 extends for approximately 180 degrees.

A flexible link chain can'ier C is provided for carrying the electrical cables 23 or hoses 23A. This link chain is formed by a series of links 45 which are pivotally connected together by means of the pin 46. The carrier includes the end mounting brackets 47 and 48 which are adapted to be secured, respectively, to the rotating turret portion and the stationary portion of the crane. A series of vertically disposed carrier plates 49 are provided be tween vertically aligned links and are rigidly fastened thereto. It will be noted that the links have a beveled portion 50 along one of their sides and also have beveled portions 52 along the opposite sides. With this double beveled, link construction the carrier is able to flex in either direction, i.e., from the curved position shown on the turntable portion of the crane. It will be noted that when the carrier is on the turntable portion of the crane it cannot buckle outwardly beyond a predetermined point because of the limited bevel on the links. The sidewall 28 on the other hand prevents undesirable and unlimited movement of the carrier in a radially inward direction. Likewise the outer wall 33 of the outer, opposite track prevents the carrier from unwarranted outward movement.

A series of shoes in the form of rotating balls 50 set against a ring of ball bearings 50A, as shown in FIGURE 2, are provided along lower end of the carrier, and these shoes are adapted to either slide or roll across the retaining ledges 29 and 39 of the respective tracks 27 and 37 when transferring from one track to the other. The carrier has sufficient vertical flexibility to permit the shoes to ride up and over the ledges when necessary. Normally, however, the weight of the carrier provides a sufiicient downward component of force 51 (FIGURE 3) to hold the shoes in place on their tracks and captive behind the ledges, and it is only when sufficient force is exerted by the transferring portion of the carrier that its shoes will cross over and above the retaining ledges. It wi l be understood that no appreciable movement of the carrier along its tracks occurs, but the shoes need only to rise over the beveled, retaining ledges n the tracks. Thus the shoes need not be rotatable, but instead (as shown in FIGURE 3) may be simply fixed non-rotatable shoes 52 fixed to the bottom of the lower links of the carrier, and it is only necessary that the shoes be round or generally semi-spherical on their bottom to prevent catching on the ledges and to enable them to roll over the ledges when the horizontal component of force 53 (FIG- URE 3) is of suflicient magnitude.

The cables 23 and hoses 23A are carried in a series of aligned holes in the vertical plates 49' of the carrier and are connected at one end to a junction box 60 on the stationary member and to a junction box 61 on the turntable. Electric power is fed from the festoon cable 62 to junction box 69.

By means of the present invention a particularly compact and eflicient flexible link cable carrier is provided on the stacker crane between the stationary and rotating elements. The guide means for the carrier is such that the carrier properly follows its guide track on either the stationary or rotating members and then is permitted to cross over from one to the other automatically Without any attention on the part of the operator. The arrangement permits the central portion of the crane mast to be completely open for the hoisting mechanism and a considerable number of cables can be accommodated which would otherwise be impossible in the conventional manner.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims T particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention:

1. A crane comprising, a non-rotatable member, a turntable rotatable on said member about a vertical axis, a horizontal and arcuate track means secured to said member, a horizontal and arcuate track means fixed to said turntable and adjacently concentric with and rotatable relative to said track means on said member; a vertically disposed, electrical cable carrying, flexible, link chain carrier supported on said track means and positioned to flex about vertical axes; said carrier connected at One end to said turntable and at the other end to said member; and generally semi-spherical shoes on the lower side of said link chain carrier for supporting the latter on said track means.

2. A crane as defined in claim 1 further characterized in that said track means include a retaining ledge for guiding said shoes in their arcuate movement.

3. A crane as defined in claim 1 further characterized in that said carrier includes an upper set of links pivotally connected together, a lower set of links pivotally connected together, and cable supporting rigid plates, rigidly connected between vertically aligned upper and lower links, said links being beveled for flexing in opposite arcuate directions for following either of said track means. a

4-. A crane as defined in claim 3 further characterize in that said track means include a retaining ledge for guiding said shoes in their arcuate movement.

5. A stacker crane comprising, a wheeled trolley, a turntable rotatable on said trolley about a vertical axis, a mast extending downwardly from said turntable for rotation therewith, a horizontal'and arcuate track means secured to said trolley and adjacent said turntable, arcuate track means fixed to said turntable adjacent the periphery thereof and concentric with and rotatable relative to said track means on said trolley; an electrical cable carrying, flexible, link chain carrier supported on said track means and positioned to flex about vertical axes; and shoes on the lower side of said link chain carrier for supporting the latter on said track means.

6. A crane as defined'in claim 5 further characterized in that said track means include a retaining ledge for guiding said shoes in their arcuate movement.

7. A crane as defined in claim 5 further characterized in that said carrier includesan upper set of links pivotally connected together, a lower set of links pivotally connected together, and cable supporting rigid plates rigidly connected between vertically aligned upper and lower links, said links being beveled for flexing in opposite arcuate directions for following either of said track means.

8. A crane as defined in claim 7further characterized in that said track means include a retaining ledge for guiding said shoes in their arcuate movement.

9. A stacker crane comprising, a wheeled trolley, a turntable rotatable on said trolley about a vertical axis and having a telescoping mast extending downwardly therefrom, electrical apparatus on said turntable, a horizontal and arcuate track means secured to said trolley and radially outward of said turntable, a horizontal and arcuate track means fixed to and adjacent the periphery of' said turntable and adjacently concentric with and rotatable relative to said track means on said trolley; a vertically disposed, electrical cable carrying, flexible, link chain carrier supported on said track means and positioned to flex about vertical axes; said carrier including an upper 10. A crane as defined in claim 9 further characterized set of links pivotally connected together, a low set f in that said track means include a retaining ledge for guidlinks pivotally connected together, and cable supporting ing said Shoes in their arcuate movementrigid plates rigidly connected betwen vertically aligned d1 link h th I d f d1 k 5 References Cited upper an ower s; s oes on e ower s1 6 0 s21 in chain carrier for supporting the latter on said tr-ack means; UNITED STATES PATENTS said links being beveled for flexing in opposite arcuate di- 2975807 3/1961 Wamnger 174 69 rections for followin either of sad track e n d 3197954 8/1965 Merker et a1 191-42 g 1 m a an 3,250,399 5/1966 Dechantreiter 212-21 electrical power cables supported by said rigid plates and 10 connected to said electrical apparatus on said turntable. ANDRES H. NIELSEN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CRANE COMPRISING, A NON-ROTATABLE MEMBER, A TURNTABLE ROTATABLE ON SAID MEMBER ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS, A HORIZONTAL AND ARCUATE TRACK MEANS SECURED TO SAID MEMBER, A HORIZONTAL AND ARCUATE TRACK MEANS FIXED TO SAID TURNTABLE AND ADJACENTLY CONCENTRIC WITH AND ROTATABLE RELATIVE TO SAID TRACK MEANS ON SAID MEMBER; A VERTICALLY DISPOSED, ELECTRICAL CABLE CARRYING, FLEXIBLE, LINK CHAIN CARRIER SUPPORTED ON SAID TRACK MEANS AND POSITIONED TO FLEX ABOUT VERTICAL AXES; SAID CARRIER CONNECTED AT ONE END TO SAID TURNTABLE AND AT THE OTHER END TO SAID MEMBER; AND GENERALLY SEMI-SPHERICAL SHOES ON THE LOWER SIDE OF SAID LINK CHAIN CARRIER FOR SUPPORTING THE LATTER ON SAID TRACK MEANS. 